DENVER — When Taylor Herbert and Alexi Mandolini started their business, The Easy Vegan, during the pandemic, they never imagined it would take them to Los Angeles to compete on Food Network's "The Great Food Truck Race."
"It still isn’t computing that we did it," said Herbert, who calls herself the CEO, CFO and food conceptualizer of the business.
"Biscuit muffins. That’s in my notes," she said. "What does that even mean?"
“What's a biscuit muffin?" Mandolini asked.
Mandolini is the executive chef who appreciates the creativity from her partner but admits the ideas don't always land.
"Some, conceptually, don’t make any sense," she said with a smile.
They can joke over biscuit muffins because since they started in August 2020, their idea has been successful. They serve vegetable-forward street food at farmers markets and festivals around the Denver area.
On Wednesday, they were prepping their pierogi platters for VegFest Colorado, which is this weekend on the Auraria Campus in Denver.
"Our main goal is to just make great food," Mandolini said. "And it just happens to be vegan."
The concept is also working in Los Angeles, where they have continually beat out their food truck competitors to become one of two finalists in Season 16 of the Food Network show.
Before The Easy Vegan, Herbert was a bartender who said she lost shifts during COVID. Mandolini was laid off from her catering job. Together, they used that as motivation to start something they had always dreamed of.
"And what better and scarier time to start a business than COVID?" Herbert said.
The pair are not only business partners but life partners too, who celebrate their identities with the pride flag at every pop-up. As "The Great Food Truck Race" has progressed, they have gotten messages from families and queer kids who feel seen.
"We’re loud and proud, stoked for the representation on this season of 'The Great Food Truck Race,'" Herbert read from one message. "And to me I think that’s so special and important and that’s why we say gay."
"Representation is important," said Mandolini as she seared oyster mushrooms.
Mandolini and Herbert said they are also passionate about veganism, but they don't evangelize it.
"It's just about trying to do intentional good chef-driven food — while also just being approachable," Herbert said. "I think veganism has this inevitable pretentiousness to it, and we really want to take that away, as well."
Throughout the show, they stay true to who they are and don't add drama for the cameras. But Herbert said if Lisa from "Vanderpump Rules" calls, all bets are off.
"Put me on that show, if anyone’s watching," she said, laughing. "I will give a different, totally different version of myself."
The finale of "The Great Food Truck Race" airs Sunday.
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